Understanding Stimming: Breaking the Stigma Surrounding Autism Behaviors

Found on Pixabay, photo taken by Ivabalk

Have you ever caught yourself biting your nails or lips when you were nervous or bored? How about taping your foot or nails on a surface? These are some examples of self-stimulating behavior, also known as stimming, in the autism community. These behaviors are seen as usual by the majority of people who are close to someone with autism. So why is it that someone with autism or neurodiverse is seen as unnatural, weird, or dangerous? There are various stims that someone can do, some less destructive than others. The most well-known autistic stims are rocking, flapping, spinning, and walking on tiptoes. These stims are what most people associate with autistic stimming. 

The main reason why someone with autism stims is to regulate their sensory experiences and manage stress. Unfortunately, these movements have often been stigmatized and misunderstood by society. There have been many cases where a non-verbal or verbal autistic person has been put in danger because of the stigmas and lack of knowledge of what someone with autism might act like. In 2017, a 14-year-old autistic boy was tackled and detained by the police for doing behavior that indicated drug use. The boy had a string in his hand and rubbed it over his face repeatedly. In this instance, nothing terrible happened except the boy was detained for a bit. There needs to be more training and education about autism and stimming so the public understands why someone might present as behaving oddly. 

Stimming can sometimes be destructive as well, to themselves as well as others. Some destructive stims for someone with autism are picking at scabs, scratching or rubbing skin until it gets raw, hitting themselves or someone, and running away. Some stims that disrupt the environment can be vocal stims like howling, high-pitched screeching, and squealing. There are too many stims to name them all. However, things have been made to help people stim less disruptively. These things are called fidget toys. Multiple fidget toys are on the market, from slime to tangles and spinners. Each person has their preference for fidget toys. My favorite fidget toys that help me are tangles, infinite cubes, and stress balls. Stimming is natural, and everyone does it at some point, but those with autism are predisposed to do it to a higher degree. Bringing this to light will help people to be less judgmental of something that helps people cope with stress and self-soothe.